Sheet feeding mechanism



March 13, 1934. AN B REN 1,950,642

SHEET FEEDINGMECHANISM Filed Sept. 15 1932 INVENTOR JOIgI N VAN B UREN ATTORNEYJ. 2

Patented Mar. 13, i234 STATES FATENT GFFECE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to sheet feeding mechanism.

More particularly stated the invention relates to means for feeding the sheets of relatively stiff paper or cardboard to folding and wrapping mechanism.

The invention has been devel d more especially for soap wrapping mac-11in although it should be understood that the feeding mechanism hereinafter described is not limited to any such specific use. In machines of the character specified it is comparatively easy to form a neat and attractive package when wrapping cakes or articles that are substantially rectangular in shape. However, it is not as simple a matter to form an attractive wrapped package when the article within the wrapper is oval or not rectangular. For this reason it has been fou d desirable to wrap a sheet of cardboard or 1 tivcly stiff paper around the article or cake before applying the wrapper thereto. The cardboard fills out the package im roves the appearance thereof.

This invention has for its salient object to provide means for feeding cardboard sheets one at a time and for eifectivcly preventing the feeding of more than one sheet for each operation of the feeding means.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawing which forms a part of this application, and in which Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of sheet feeding means constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view partly in section, taken at right angles to Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the lever for actuating a pin which engages the sheet next to the bottom after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated.

The invention briefly described consists of a mechanism for eeding sheets of relatively stiff paper or cardboard comprising means open at the bottom for supporting a stack of sheets, preferably in a position inclined downwardly, a friction roller engaging the lower sheet and operating intermit ently to feed t. sottom sheet from the stack, means for controlling the intermittent operation of the feed roller and periodically or intermittently operating means for engaging the sheet next above the bottom sheet after the feeding of said sheet has been initiated.

Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing the feeding means is carried by a machine comprising a frame having an opening 11 therein on the opposite sides of which are disposed U-shaped walls 12 and 13 which form a hopper for the sheets S of relatively stiff paper or cardboard. The U-shaped walls face each other and the wall 13 is vertically slidable in a guideway 14, the position of the wall being controlled by a set screw 15 which engages a lug 16 carried by the lower end of the wall.

As shown in Fig. 1, the sheets are supported in downwardly inclined position, the lower ends or edges of the sheets engaging the lower end 20 of the wall 13 and the upper edges engaging the inner surface of the wall 12. A guiding strip 21 is carried by the lower end 20 of the wall 13 and guides the sheets as they are fed downwardly to sheet feeding rollers 22 and 23 by which they are fed to the folding mechanism.

The lower outer surface of the bottom sheet is engaged by a friction roller 25 which may be formed of rubber or any other suitable material and is carried by a collar 26 rotatably mounted on the outer end portion of a sleeve 27. The sleeve 27 in turn is mounted on a shaft 28 which extends through the sleeve and has secured to one outer end thereof a disk 29 which is adapted to frictionally engage the outer surface of the collar 26 which carries the friction roller 25.

The shaft 28 has extending therethrough a pin 30 which also extends through a slot 31 formed in the sleeve 27. A collar 32 surrounds the sleeve 27 and is engaged by the pin 30. The collar is normally pressed to the right in Fig. 2 by a spring 33 which surrounds the sleeve and engages a cam 34 keyed to the sleeve, as shown at 35, the spring engaging the collar at the other end thereof.

The sleeve 2'? is driven by a gear 37 which is keyed to the sleeve, as shown at 38, and meshes with a gear 39 mounted on a shaft 40 which is driven from any suitable source of power by a sprocket wheel 41 and a chain 42. The shaft 4-0 also drives the feed rollers 22 and 23 by means of gearing 39, 44 and 45.

The outer end of the sleeve 27 has secured thereto a bevel gear which meshes with a gear 51 carried by a shaft 52 on which is also mounted a cam 53. An adjustable set screw 54 extends beyond the gear 50 and is carried by the shaft 28.

The spring 33 normally presses the shaft 28 to the right viewing Fig. 2 and causes the friction disk 29 to drive the friction roller 25. Means is provided, however, for forcing the shaft 28 to the left, thus disconnecting the drive between the friction disk 29 and the friction roller 25. This means consists of an arm 60 carried by a spindle 61 and having its lower end 62 disposed in a position to engage the adjustable screw 54 and to force the shaft 28 toward the left. The spindle 61 also has secured thereto an arm 63 having on its lower end a roller 64 arranged to engage the cam 53. A spring 65 holds the roller in engagement with the cam. It will be obvious from the showing in Fig. 2 that the cam 53 will force the roller and arm 63 in a clockwise direction thereby causing the end 62 of the arm 60 to engage the screw 54 carried by the right hand end of the shaft 28, thus causing the shaft to be forced to the left and disconnecting the drive. However, when the roller 64 is permitted to move to the right the arm 60 will release the shaft 28 which will then be forced by the spring 33 to the right again connecting the drive.

The mechanism also includes means operatable intermittently to engage the next succeeding sheet after the bottom sheet has been partially fed by the friction roller 25. This means consists of a vertically extending pin 70 which is carried by an arm 71. The arm 71 is in turn carried by a sleeve '72 which also has projecting therefrom an arm '73 provided with a roller '74 on the free end thereof. The roller 74 engages the cam 34 and as the cam rotates the roller and arm '74 and 73 will be moved in an anticlockwise direction viewing Fig. 1, thus causing the pin 70 to be moved upwardly into engagement with the sheet above the bottom sheet. The cam is so formed that this action would take place after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated and the pin 70 will hold the second sh et as the bottom sheet is being fed. A spring 75 engages the arm '71 and holds the roller '74 in engagement with the cam 34. 1

From the foregoing description it will be clear that a simple and practical sheet feeding mechanism has been designed and that by means of the construction described sheets may be fed one at a time.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Sheet feeding means comprising a hopper for a supply of sheets, a friction feed roller for engaging the bottom sheet, means for intermittently driving said roller, and means engageable with the next sheet above the bottom sheet, after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated, for holding the second sheet against movement,

2. Sheet feeding means comprising a hopper for a supply of sheets, a friction feed roller for engaging the bottom sheet, means including an intermittently operating clutch for driving said roller, and means engageable with the next sheet above the bottom sheet, after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated, for holding the second sheet against movement.

3. Mechanism of the class described comprising a hopper open at the bottom and arranged to support a supply of sheets in downwardly inclined position, a feed roller engaging the lower portion of the bottom sheet, means for intermittently operating said roller, and means engageable with the lower portion of the next sheet when the lower sheet has been partially fed by the roller, for holding the second sheet against movement.

l. Sheet feeding means comprising a hopper for a supply of sheets, a friction feed roller for engaging the bottom sheet, means including an intermittently operating clutch for driving said roller, periodically operating means for controlling said clutch, and means engageable with the next sheet above the bottom sheet, after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated, for holding the second sheet against movement.

5. Sheet feeding means comprising a hopper for a supply of sheets, a friction feed roller for engaging the bottom sheet, means including an intermittently operating clutch for driving said roller, periodically operating cam means for controlling said clutch, and means engageable with the next sheet above the bottom sheet, after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated, for holding the second sheet against movement.

6. Sheet feeding means comprising a hopper for a supply of sheets, a friction feed roller for engaging the bottom sheet, periodically operating means for intermittently driving said roller, and periodically operating means engageable with the next sheet above the bottom sheet, after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated, for holding the second sheet against movement.

'7. Sheet feeding means comprising a hopper for a supply of sheets, a friction feed roller for engaging the bottom sheet, periodically operating, cam controlled, means for intermittently driving said roller, and periodically operating, cam controlled, means engageable with the next sheet above the bottom sheet, after the feeding of the bottom sheet has been initiated, for holding the second sheet against movement.

JOHN VAN BUREN. 

